The three-year Heritage Valley Family Medicine Residency Program consists of a combination of patient care and teaching. The program provides training at Heritage Valley Beaver hospital, the Family Medicine Center, formal conference settings and in the community. The teaching and supervision of the residents is primarily the responsibility of the program’s faculty. The faculty includes family physicians, obstetricians, pediatricians, a psychologist and an internist. Volunteer faculty, representing all specialties, also provide academic and bedside instruction.

*See attached document to link to curriculum

A comprehensive three-year didactic lecture/workshop series has been designed for residents to ensure that all current and important topics are covered. Please see attached document for a sample monthly lecture schedule.

There are a number of unique teaching opportunities that take place in the ambulatory setting. Working one-on-one with dedicated preceptors, residents develop expertise in the behavioral science, gynecologic, prenatal, procedure, osteopathic manipulation and podiatry clinics.

One of the program’s strengths is the wide variety of elective experiences available to residents. For a list of available electives click here. International electives are encouraged.

All residents have opportunities to participate in community, public school and public health education. Residents provide instruction to grade school children with programs such as Tar Wars (a health education program to prevent the initiation of smoking), sex education for high school students and conduct preparticipant physicals for all ages. PGY-2 and PGY-3 residents devote several weeks to visiting and learning about resources in the community. Experiences are tailored to meet the individual interests of the resident. Additionally, residents and faculty participate in community service projects as a larger group each year.

As the US population ages, serving the geriatric population plays an increasing role in family medicine. The Heritage Valley Family Residency Program is uniquely geared to prepare graduates to be experts in providing care to the elderly across all settings. In addition to having geriatric patients assigned to each resident at the Family Medicine Center, PGY-2 and PGY-3 residents provide longitudinal care for patients at a skilled nursing facility. The geriatric curriculum is augmented by formal rotations at a community geriatric center, specialized workshops and supervision by a geriatrician.

The Heritage Valley Family Medicine Residency Program has a long history of excellence in behavioral science training for family physicians. The training is longitudinal including regularly scheduled appointments with patients experiencing a broad range of mental health concerns that typically present in primary care. Patients are seen in the behavioral science clinic under supervision of a licensed psychologist. Goals of the curriculum are to develop basic counseling skills, familiarity with the common psychiatric conditions that present to primary care, expertise in using psychotropic medications and competence in dealing with psychiatric emergencies.

While on call, interns are supervised by senior residents who work together as a team. A faculty physician is available at all times to provide necessary support, including telephone consultation and in-house assistance. All residents utilize a night float system for weekday call. The call team performs the full scope of family medicine. On a given night, residents may care for someone with an acute myocardial infarction, deliver a baby, and admit a child with asthma. By learning to utilize all of the skills of a family physician in a supportive atmosphere, residents are provided a comprehensive education that promotes confidence, independence and competence in all facets of family medicine.